Hi everybody, taking the plunge and starting with a 737 NGX overhead...any advice appreciated

HI everyone. Like most, i've been desktop flying FS9 / FSX for a while now. Real life UH60 Pilot, but can't break into the airline fixed wing community (getting to old i suppose), anyhow i digress.

In the last two years, i've moved from single monitor with only a joystick to now 5 monitors, pedals, yoke TQ and such. Last weekend i took the plunge and began building a 737 NGX overhead panel. Printed out the actual overhead at work (nice to have a huge plotter at my disposal) and bought the 2 way and 3 way switches from the local hardware store and mounted them.

Been researching how to do all the wiring and get it to work in FSX (i do have a registered copy of FSUIPC) and WOW thats alot of wiring and circuit boards. After scouring through the forums, i noticed that a lot of beginners are hacking up old joysticks. Would this be the way to go initially? I will have about 34 toggle switches and plan on 3-4 rotary switches. Will this work with with joystick circuit boards?

Rob